Fiction: Lock In (213 words)

08Apr

“Don’t bother,” Bruce called to Diane as she extended her hand to knock on Clark’s door. “He’s not seeing anyone this time. Even Marjorie had to climb in through the window to check on him when he refused to let her in.”

“Why’d she go through the window?” Diane asked, heading back towards the living room. “I know they have their weird relationship thing going on, but if he wanted to be left alone…”

“I may have let it slip that I hadn’t actually seen him in thirty-six hours, and you know how Marjorie gets.” Bruce shrugged, not looking up from his video game. “I didn’t mind. It saved me from having to call the cops to make sure that he was actually still alive in there. He threatened to lock the window next time, but I don’t doubt that she would just burst through the glass if she really thought he was dead.”

Diane sat down next to her younger brother and watched the game for a little longer before sighing. “Is it problematic that a friend that he’s not even really dating is more proactive about his health than his own siblings?”

“Nah. It’s Marjorie.” Bruce answered as if it explained everything. And, in a lot of ways, it did.